Abstract: Digital technology for cultural heritage has been so far designed to favour the delivery of information over the sensorial experience of being there.This approach has had unwelcome consequences such as the dispersion of the social group (of family and/or friends) and a reduced affective response in visitors. I propose the use of smart exhibits and digitally augmented spaces as a way to integrate digital content within the physical context and overcome the issues of social disruption and loss of affective experience. Examples taken from the work currently done within the project meSch are used to illustrate the potential of this novel approach.

This keynote speech from meSch coordinator Daniela Petrelli at the 1st International Workshop on Museums as Intelligent Environments (MASIE’13) in Athens, Greece (16-19 July 2013) can be accessed at http://www.ebooks.iospress.nl/publication/33906